Members of the Rotary Club of Kenilworth celebrated the arrival of the Kenilworth Advent Calendar this week, and it promptly went on sale at the Talisman Theatre.

First announced in July, the charity calendar is being supported by over 100 local businesses offering prizes from Michelin star meals to jewellery and 'Red Letter Days' with the total value of prizes exceeding £5,000.

Each Kenilworth Advent Calendar carries a unique number, and behind each window are five prizes.

Throughout advent every day five winning numbers will be drawn at random and the numbers posted online.

President of The Rotary Club of Kenilworth, Malcolm Mathews said: "It's been months in the planning and now it's arrived! We couldn't have done it without the generosity and expertise of two local companies; Abstract Design, who did the Calendar's graphic design without charging us, and Emmerson Press, who didn't charge for printing it.

"All we have to do now is sell at least 3,000 Kenilworth Advent Calendars. We know times are tough, but we're confident that the generous people of Kenilworth will be happy to help local charities by investing £5 and having a bit of fun in the run up to Christmas".

He added: "Local supermarkets Sainsbury's and Waitrose along with Kenilworth's Thursday market and the owners of Talisman Square have also been amazing by offering us the opportunity to sell our Kenilworth Advent Calendar in their venues.

"We're looking forward to introducing this new fund-raising idea to Kenilworth and we're quietly confident of its success".

Local charities including Waverly Day Centre, Myton Hospice and The Talisman Theatre will be the key beneficiaries from the Kenilworth Advent Calendar which will sell for £5 and is expected to raise as much as £15,000 in its first year.